Boll-weevil machine



Sept. 2 1924.

A. BRIGDEN BOLL wEEvIL MACHINE Filed Feb. 14 5 Shoots-Sheet 1 @daar WITNESSES ATTORNEY Sept. Z 1924.

A. BRIGDEN BOLL wEEvIL MACHINE Filed Feb. 14, A1922' 3 Sheets-Shoot' 2 All INVENTOR dem WITNESSES ATTORNEY Sept. 2 1924. v 1,507,457

. A. BRIGDEN oLL wEEvIL MACHINE Filed Feb. 14, 1922 3 Shoots-Sheet 3 INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 2, 1924.

UNITED, STATES PATENT oFF ICE.

ARTHUR. amenait, or BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

zeonrewnnvrn MAcnrivn..

Application tiled February v14, 1922. Serial No. 536,601.

.An object of this invention is the pro-` vision of a new and improved device for destroying insects which is capable of a plurality of adjustments whereby the in sect destroying device be used at all stages of the growing plants.

The invention further contemplates the provision of a new "and improved device for destroying insects whichV is capable of automatic adjustment when the plants passing through the same, or some obstruction, tends to jam and impede the progress of the device along the rows, whereby the passage through which the plants are adapted to travel will automatically widen and permit the plants or obstruction to pass readily therethrough.

The invention alsoincludes a battery of insect destroying devices capable of operating on a plurality lof rows of plants simultaneously, the separate devices being adjustable towards or away from eachother in order that each device may be properly positioned to straddle a. row.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict Vconformity with the showing in the drawing, but may be changed and modified so long as such changes and modifications marlr no material departure from 'the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. y

In the drawings Y a Fig. l is a side elevation of the boll weevil machine with parts removed to disclose the interior construction of the same.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of theboll weevil machine.

Figis a front end view` ofthe device,

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section of a 'fragmentary view of the same)- with `the linger supporting arms omitted in order to illustrate the trough hangers more clearly. Fig'. 5 is a longitudinal section of a .flexible finger for shaking the insects from the plants.

Fig. 6. is a fragmentary view in detail,

showing one-of the hangers and oneof` the 'i troughs forced outwardly by 'some obstruction located in the path `of the machine;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentaryview in section disclosing the pivotal connection between the trough hangers and the longitudinal sup#7 porting rods.

F 8 is a transverse section of the same. i Fig. 9 isa front 'view of a boll weevil machine supplied with a destroying devices. Fig. 10 is ay planview of the same. Referring first to the `,form of the invention shown in Figs. l to 8,1inclusive7 of the drawings, l designates a transverse inf` verted channel bar. y portion 2 ofl an inverted U-shaped axle hanger or support is secured' by means of plurality of insect bolts to the underside of the base of the` channel bar l, and it fits between the dependin@r sides of said channel bar. The' depending legs S and 4 of the U-shaped hanger are s disposed at an acute angle to the base por-` tion 2, thereby causing the lower ends of the The base or middle .i

`legs 3 and 4 to be spacedat a less distance apart than the upper ends of saidv legs. The

lower ends of thelegs 3 and 4 of each hanger are perforated to form bearings in which are secured axles 5. l/Vheels. 6 are rotatably mounted on the axles for supporting thevboll weevil machine. Forwardly'projecting U- shaped straps 7, partiallytembracing the "wheels, are pivotally mounted upon the axles 5 and held in a horizontal position by means of chains 8 connected to the straps 7 and to the inverted U-shaped support.

A separate frame adapted to carry troughs and the iiexible fingers for shaking the insects fromthe growing plants is centrally suspended by means of an veye-boltv 9 from the transverse channel bar l. The eye-bolt 9 ,is provided with threads at its upper endy which are engaged by a crank nut 10 seated on the channel bar l and provided with a handle l1 for rotatingv the nut, whereby .the

frame iselevated or lowered relative to .said channel bar. Y Through ther eye `12 of the,

'user-ted a ypivot pin or bolt 18, l i of plates .rs and 16 rlfhe transvsse means of bolts to horizontal tubes 1'4" an 1Sj which torni part of the supporting` 'frame of the. bell weevil externinator and entend longitudinally of the saine,

Upon the opposite ends of the tubesl'? and'18 are loosely mounted sleeves 19t, which afford a means for mounting` the vertical hangers 20, The-hangers i0'V arefornied of.

hangers and sleeves 19, permit movement of the sleeves 19 and hangers 2O relative to the longitudinal side rods 1T and 1S. The bolt 2Oi provides a means for rigidly securing the sleeve 19 to the hanger 2O so that as the hangers 20 are rocked, the sleeve 19 will revolve on the rods while the bolt Q0 will be 'free to a limited extent to move in the larger perforatio'ns in the ends of the rods 17 and 18. The lower ends 21 o'l the hangers .20 are curved'inwardly and upwardly to couform to the inner curved surface of troughs 2% 25 so that the curved portions of 'the hangers may be neatly lit-ted within the troughs and secured thereto in any approved manner.

The troughs are serai-cylindrical in shape with their Jforward ends 25 formed semiconioally. This semi-conical formation of the ends of the troughs presents a dared opening' for the passage between the troughs through which passage the cotton plants may pass without any obstruction. The rear port-ions of the troughs are closed by semicircular ends 26. The troughs are adapted to carry some lrind o' liquid for purpose of destroying insects that fall into the same. Side plates 27 are secured to the downwardly-depending hanejer arms if@ 'for enclosing the longitudinal sides oi the insect exterminator, and are adapted to prevent the insects or vermin from being erzpelled outwardly and away from the troughs and 23, thereby providing a defdecting means 'for directing the insects into the tfoughs rlhe transverse bars 15 and 16, secured to the longitudinal side rods or tubes 1'? and 18, entend slightly beyond said rods sulficiently to embrace the inner depending' legs 3cr the wheeled supporting frame and prevent longitudinal motion between the insect justine nuts 30 and 31 located upon opposite sides of the upper ends of the hangers, and furnish means torbringingV the upper portions 24 cleser together or farther away from each other, whereby the corner posts or hangersQ-O are oscillated andthe troughs 22 and 23 are variously spaced. vfrom each other. spring 32 surrounds the ends Vof the rods and is mounted between the hangs ers and the nuts 305 providing a resilient` mountingrv for said armse whereby anyeb-v struction which tends to force the troughsvl 22 and :'23 apart will be resisted by the`- springs 32, but not suiiciently toA prevent the sides of the exterminator from being slightly roc-hed to and Jfro to widen the passage between The side plates 27 are provided with vertical slots 33 (Fig. 4f) in which are adapted to ride the inwardly-projecting pins 34 in the legs, whereby the pin 34 and the slot 33 cooperate with@ the projecting ends ot' the bars 15 and 16... to guide the insect exterminator in its vertical movement when the holt 9 is operated through the nut 10 for elevating or lowering the said exterminator.

the troughs for permittingsome obstructionto pass between the same.l

Secured to the underside of the longitudinal rods 17 and 1S are downwardly depending spaced bracket arms 35 and 36 adapted to support the which carry the inwardly projecting fingers 39.

Each frame 3T and 38v comprises an upper hat bar 40 secured at its ends to the arms 35 and 36, and a lower bar d1 provided with sockets l2 in which are inserted the horizontal 'fiezrible fingersy 39g These bars are.

secured together by ineansof a plurality of bolts spaced along the bars, where-by as the nuts o n the bolts are drawn up tigflihy the ends of the flexible lingers engaged by said bars will be clamped between said bars. Since these supporting' frames are inclined at an angle to the horizontal, the tleXible iiinrers 39 will be spaced from each other at diierent heights? which are for practical purposes about an inch aparta, so that the plants passingl tl'irouph the machine will be engaged by the various fingers diito the alant7 which would happen if all the fingers were placed in the saine plane. ln such case the fingers would always enf @je the same portion of the plant as the nl nts pass through the device. of the frames 3T are located at a considerably lower elevation than the rear endsyso inclined trames 37 and 38. tleiticl r1he forward endsferent elevations and thereby prevent injury that vthe /lwer branches 'of 'the' plants 44, designated. inf dotted lines in Fig. 3,4will be ir'stengaged -by'the forward loweriexible fingers, and the p'lantswill bekept in 'a cou-V stant state of vibration bythe Vlingers arranged' lat '5f'graduaj'll'yv increasing heights throughout the #length of 'the machine. ,1 f

Eachl iexible fingery39 isprovided with a' central core 45formed of a coil spring surn.

rounded by an outer casing, preferably rubber tubing 46, the ends of which are sealed to keep out moisture. The coil spring 4'5 eX- tends throughout the full length of the tubing Z4'6fa`1id`as shown in Ffgfl 5: the' finger is;

clamped between the upper and' lower barsv man@ ii.

The wheeled supporting'fraine is adapted to be moved along the rows by means of handle" bars 47, which arepivotally rconnected?upon the "inwardly" extending fingers 34 secu-red to the legs 3 Vof vthe l wheeled supporting hanger. The'fhandle bars are further connected intermediatejtheir"ends.by means of a horizon" tal'li'nlrA` 48 which is connected to a leg 3 of the wheel supporting hanger. T he linkprovides a meansor maintaining the handle bars in ankinclined position. A transverse' bai-49 is mounted in .the outer ends of the handle bars 47 and adapted to be gripped by a person operating the device to force the machine along the rows. l i l In operation, the wheels Gare placed in straddling relation with a row of cotton plants and the nuts 3l on the rods 29 are adjusted to increase or decrease the width of the passa-ge 50 between the troughs 22 and 23 depending upon the fullness Aof the growth of the plants.

The crank nut 10 is operated-for'elevatin orlowerin'g the rcentral frame comprising the insectexterminator proper, and whichv car-v ries the flexible fingers 39 for maintaining the cotton plants passing thro-ugh thel'p'as' sagel 50 vin a constant state of vibration to dislodge t-he boll weevils from the plants and side plates 27, which 'are securedytosaidposts, will swing outwardly and away from each other 4and per-mit the obstruction to readily pass between the troughs@ -fl`he springs 3 2 willl cause the posts andi' troughs to return to their normalv positions when' the' machine-f' has passed beyond *the influence of the f obstruction. l

Figs. 9 and lO disclose a vehicle for carl rying'a-"plurality of .insect destroying devices, each of Iwhichis adapted tof straddlev l' a 'rowiof'plantsyand each being similar in vco-Ii'stfruction toi-the insect destroying device' showi'i-in F l to 8, inclusive. I have marked theone t'o the right 68 and-the 'one to the2left`54.--I havefapplied the saine refer`. vl

ence numerals to those parts which are com! mon lto 'the elements alreadydescribed and shown iii-Figs. lrto '8, inclusive. rEhe con--r` structionlof the hangers, troughs, iing'e'rsi.

et'cl, have 'not beenv changed.

Upon the inverted' Ushapedwheeled porting framesor' hangers is rigidly {mount- 'Aiseat 53'vis' secured centrally of the cross' beamla for "a driver. Any sort of well known: means (not shown) is connected with attached toithesame for drawing thebattery of :insect' 'destroying devices along the 'f' rows.

The vinsect destroying device 54 is suspended from" the lefthand e'nd'of the beam la bv cross beam. The U-shap'ed strap is provided ed--altrali'i's'verse'cross beamY la by means ot .1'

the cross beam la by which horses ima'y be 90 i means of a U-shapedstrap 55 straddling the with a plurality yof spaced perforations 56 adapted to'be traversed by a bolt 57 for adjusting the vertical position andsup-porting the device 54, the bolt 57 resting on a plate l58 which is seated on the top of the cross beam lr A plate'59 is drawn up tight against the bottom of the beam la bv `means ofbo'lts-GO. The U-shapedstrap 55 is conne'ctedf its lower end to a transverse fbar 67 of the device 54 by means of a bolt 66l Upon the right hand end of the cross beam laisseateda block 6l, to which are secured depending-straps 62, by mea-ns of bolts 63v v passing throughalined perforations in the straps-and the block 61.

The lower endsy ofthe straps 62 are per# forated,vtlirough which perforations lis in-` serted a bolt 6 4 inengagement with the bottom of the crossbeain la to prevent lateral displacement of.: the blcclrfGl but permit longitudinal movement ofthe. -block along the cross beam la. .A U-shaped strap hanger 65 isfconnected by means of a bolt 66 to ya transverse bar 67 connected to the side plates 27 of the insectdestroying device 68.

The U-.shaped strap 65 is provided with a plurality.l of perfo-rations 69 through which is inserted 'a lboltf() for supportingthel device y 68. v,The'str'ap 65`and theentire-device 68 are adjusted vertically relative'tothe cross bea-ml?, when the bolt7 Q is applied in differentperferations. The block'l is provid,r edv with a rece-ssin Vwhich is vrseateda plate. y72 secured to the blocklzbymeans ofthe U :shaped hanger 65..-y .is .insertedthrongh .theA groove 7l and supported in a .socket .Ont-he;

plate 72..

Pivotally connected. at oneend.tO-the.'blgg3l5l 6l..i.s alink ..74Iwhch.. at .tsiotherendiis cone. nectedztoan .operating lever 7 5. The f lever beamila.' A sectorrack77 is. alsorigidly mountedV onthie `beam 11a.,- vthe teethbf which.;

are'adapted'to bte-:engaged by a locking pawl 78 for locking the lever-75 irl-...any l.One o-...a plurality of. positions; so that asfthe lever 7 5 is movedback YandLortll,..the block 6l will.' likewise-bee moved to. carry the nseet'defstroying device 68-l towards'for away-from.;

the insect-f destroying; device; 54..

Sincearows: of 'plantesvary from' 3 to; 4%.- feet, it .will benecessary in .employ.niggaabat-1' tery of insect destroyinggidevices, to provide some meansgfor.adjustingtonevormore of V.the

insect destroying* devices; along the axle-1a iniorder to-prov1de1for the variatie-nf:in: the

widthsrY of the f rows.2

While AYthe-device :54C may bef-adjustedalong;`

thefcrossibeaml by loosening the boltsgGO, and". this may be. necessaryrat certain times,

nevertheless it is designed to -be :positionedrather rigidly. onthe beam la. The insect destroying device 68 may be moved towardsv or away 'from the device 54by lreleasing the pawl 78-from the rack 77 and oscillating the lever 7 5, so that the block 6l may be moved towards or away from therack 77, and therebyv adjust'y the 4 insect destroying device 68 relative `to the device 5%.'

As will beseen, the. lever 75.is.positiionelfil.` conveniently for the?, dri-verf ofi the vniacin-ine, .l so-that he may operatemthervdevice from:l the:-

other transversely of theframe and inde.-

pendently: of the fingers;

A. device"l of.' the class described; c0111?.l

prisingA a wheeled supportingra-me; a .Separate l frame ing troughs, inwardlyfextending fingers car;

ried b the separate frame.L aboveithe troilgvhg. meansqior automatically adjustmgthe hang-f ers'toward and .iromgieach' other 'tranSVerSely oi the frame andV independently of- *the* ne gers, .and meansf coo-peratingf-with'.the.. separA rateY rame.- toA prevent lOngItudiIlaLmOve: ment/of the/:troughs while permittmggtheir;

transverse' adjustment.

3;. A devicebf the; class; described comprise supported. thereon., hanger-sf mounted on said separate: frame-- and. carry- Y ing ia wheeled. l supporting frame, ya separate: framesuspended' fromthe wheeled frame and adjustable vertically relative the-reto,

hangers mounted onsaidjseparate rameand y `carrying troughs,` inwardly-extending n- `gers carried by theseparateirame above the` troughs,- anda pin and slotvconnectionbe-v..

tween thehangersand wheeled rameior guiding vthe troughsand ylingers in their vertical adjustment. v

4. A device offtheclass described'compr-isN mgl a wheeled.supporting Jranrm, a separate, frame adjustable vertically on the wheeled frame and `pivoted lto swingas a unit transf versely thereon. opposed series. of fingers: supported by the separate frame, hangers automatically adjustable towardA and from each other transversely of the Y, frame; and.

troughs supported 'by the hangers.

5. A device of the class .described-coma prising a Wheeled lsnpporting lframe,kr a ,sepa

arate framev mounted for vertical adjustment on thefwheeled frame and pivotedtovswing as a unit transversely thereof, hangers.. pivotedto theseparatey framesoas tohave i a limited swingingmovementtoward and 'from each other, meansfor yieldingly holding said hangers attheinward limit of their swmging movement, troughs secured to the lower ends of thefhangersVand` inwardlyprojecting fingers carried byv the separate.v

frame independently of the hangers and abo-ve the troughs.. .j

6. A device of the class described, comprising; a wheeled suppo-rtingframe, a separate frame mountedv on the v wheeled.. framel and; comprising a pair ofV inclined frames` and a pair of hangers, a plurality*o-rowsof fingers. .Secured to the. inclined frames, and

troughs carried by the hangers below the.

iingers.v

7. A device of the class described, comprisinga wheeled'supportingframe, a sep-` j arate frame mounted .for vertical adjustment on thewheeled supporting` frame, hangersv pivotally mountedE in,I the separate frame, troughs secured; to the lower ends of the hangers, dependingspaced bracket -arms rig.a dlysecured: .t0 the sep arate .framein depend-4 ently ofthe troughs? andlhaving inwardly:

projecting.v fingers,- and resilier-1t means for,

automatically and independently adjusting said troughst toward Y .on awayfrom each other and transversely4 .of the: wheeled supe porting freine. l

8.. A device of. thelclass described, comv prsing a wheeled supporting, immenesepa rate. ramemonnted on `the Z wheeled frame,

and including .one 0r.; morev inclined frames.

at .each side, .inwardly=-.e-xtendng fingers car.-

red by the inclined! frames, and .troughs 1.0-

catedbelow'thefingers and-pivotally s u-p.

ported; from the separate trame.

9.. A dewieect therclass.A described, corn- .j

Y ll2.- In a device 10.1 A device of the prising a wheeled-supporting frame, 4aseparate. :traine `vertically adjustable on the .rate -iiranie mounted ,on the. wheeled frame, and includingl lones-or more'invclmed4 frames,

*each composed Vof ain-upper and a lower bar, sockets provided in said bars, iingersiitted together, andtroughs supported below the lingers. fj 'f .Y

ll. In a device of theclass described, a wheeled, supporting frame, @ci-,separate 'frame comprising al pluralityjofv .vertical hangers, r parot longitudinal rods," and pairs of :inclinedframes hung from said rods,`means for pivotallyconnecting fthe. hangers to..AV the :rods so that :the `hangers may 'move l transversely, means for .pivotally connecting .the

separate frame .to thef'wheeled frame, viingers mounted-inthe inclined vframeand eX- -tending inwardl'yytoward' ,each other,

.troughsmounted'in .the lowerendsgof the hangers, and resilient means for resisting theV outward transversemovement of said hangers. c i of the class described, a wheele'dsupporting frame, a separateframe including rigidly mounted iiiclinedrames and pivotally mounted vertical hangers, iin'- gers mounted in theiinclinedfframes, `and troughs mounted in the hangers below the fingers, said-troughs being largertha-n the length of the inclined iframes.` v I :.'flgjI-n' a deviceofthelclassfdescribed, a .vheled :supporting 1 frame comprising ra transverse channel bar, inverted U-shaped supports havingtheir base portions secured to the'opposite endsof the channel bar and their legs depending downwardly from said bar, wheels mounted upon axles at the lower ends .of the U-shaped supports, and a separate frame suspended from thechannel bar and adapted to be adjusted vertically and provided with troughs and lingers f j lst. In a device of the class described, a wheeled supportingframe, a separate frame provided with pivotally mounted sides carrying longitudinal troughs oscillatable towards each other, and stationary fingers mounted on the separate frame and arranged in a series inclined upwardly from the front.

l5. In a device of the class described, a Wheeled supporting frame, a separate tra-me having a vertical adjustment on the wheeled frame, inclined rows of stationary fingers mounted on the separate frame, troughs pivotally mounted on said separate frame, and guiding means for permitting transverse and troughs, and handle bars secured rmovement ofY but preventing longitudinal- .movement of thegtroughs relative yto the ,wheeled framev while `they swing about their PVOtS. j f l .16.1111 a device of Athe class described, a

.wheeledsupporting frame, a separateframe j-suspended from the wheeled fra-me, bracket arms rigidly mounted lin longitudinal planes on the'y sides ofthekseparate frame, inclined frames mounted on, the, bracket arms `tingf'ars secured in.zsp'acedmelation to` the. inclined iframes, andftroughs located below 'the ngersand supported by the separateckt`r,ames.-v in the sockets, means folsecuring the bars wheeled Vsupporting frame comprising' a ,transversefchannel bar, inverted U-shfaped .supports securedto said bar., axlesniounted .in l"the lower ends of the U-shapedsupports, fwheelsprotatably mounted on 'saidaxles, a

separate frame suspended from/thetransf 17 In device of the class described, :a

verse channelr bar and provided with fingers tothe inverted VU-shaped supports. V

wheeled` supporting frame, a separate frame :suspended `.irom-,the .wheeled supporting frame and `compi-risingl spaced longitudinal rods, vertical hangers oscillatable intermediate their' ends at opposite endsof the longitudinal rods, ya *horizont-al.: rod slidably 4mounted in a. pairof the vertical hangers, -th'e upper free endsfot the vertical hangers extending above the 4longitudinal rods,l resilient means acting on the ends of'ithevertical hangers Jfor maintaining them in position. `while'permitting a .transverse swingq`- ingoi said hangers, and troughsand side `plates .secured Ito vthe. vertical hangers. -."19;-In a' device ofthe class described, a

wheeled Asupporting frame, longitudinal rods mounted for vertical adjustment on the @supporting frame, side'I members oscillatable on thefends of the longitudinall rods, springmeanslfor maintaining the sidemembers in vertical position while permitting oscillation of said members, troughs mounted on the side members, and stationary lingers projecting inwardly from opposite sides of the supporting frame,

Y 20, In a device of the class described, a wheeled supporting frame carrying flexible fingers `projecting inwardly, said fingers each comprising a coiled spring, a rubber tubing surrounding said spring, and means for sealing the ends ofthe tubing toprevent the access of moisture.

21.v A device of the class described, comprising a wheeled supporting frame adapted to span a plurality of plant rows, a bracket rigidly secured to the' Jframe, an insect destroying unit supported on the bracket, a block slidably adjustable on the frame toward and away from said bracket, and a second insectA destroying unit supported by said block.

18. Ina device of the class described, `a i l 

